Shadow Complex

From the people who brought you the absurdly characterised yet brilliantly playable Gears Of War series comes a game with absolutely no cigar-chomping space marines eviscerating hordes of insectoid aliens with unlikely-looking guns. It does, however, centre on tough-talking, heavily armed, near-future cops slaughtering body-armoured government stooges, so thematically it's not a sea change. The big difference is that, mechanically, it's a traditional 2D side-scrolling shooting game re-invented for the 3D generation, as you engage targets in a succession of expertly executed miniature set-pieces. Playing much like Nintendo's Metroid series (before it made the lurch into 3D), complete with vast maps and doors that can only be opened with upgraded weapons, Shadow Complex rewards exploration as much as marksmanship and is more interesting for it.